Shoe heel structure



DCC. 8, 1936. M, MAUSER 2,063,042

SHOE HEEL STRUCTURE Filed April 16, 1934 /NVE/vro/e MAX MA U5 Eli' Patented Dec. 8, 1936 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe heels, and more specically to a shoe heel structure having a heel tap thereon, and in which said tap may be easily and conveniently mounted in place on said heel, without the use of extraneous tools of any nature, and just as simply removed therefrom when desired, and in which the tap will remain in assembled position on the heel without danger of accidental displacement therefrom during normal use of the shoe.

Other objects of the invention include the production of a heel structure of the kind described, which will be neat and simple in construction, economical to manufacture, occupying a minimum of space and material, be sturdy in design and operation so as to be` able to withstand the normal usage, and which can be quickly and readily applied to perform satisfactory and eicient service, without the use of tools or skilled workmanship.

Another object of my invention is to provide a heel structure of the kind described, in which the means for detachably connecting the heel and tap will be substantially concealed when said parts are assembled for service, so that no unsightly nor objectionable appearance of the shoe will result through the use of the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved removable heel and tap structure that will be so small and inconspicuous that only a few sizes need be made to accommodate substantially the full range of shoe heel sizes, thus lessening the cost of productionand permitting the dealer to be in a position to supply normal demand with a minimum of stock sizes, and therefore enabling the articles to be sold at a correspondingly lower price to the wearer desiring such devices.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a detachable tap and heel connection, that although small and light, will securely hold the tap in place without danger of turning, twisting or otherwise becoming displaced or accidentally detached, and in which a bendable tab or projection may be used for further insuring against accidental separation of the parts assembled.

An added object of the invention is to provide a construction of the kind set forth, in which the fastening means are so designed and arranged that the visible edges of the heel and tap engaging faces will be brought up tightly enough to avoid a noticeable gap or space therebetween, thereby maintaining the normal appearance of the shoe, but minimizing the dangers of water, snow or other materials from entering between the tap and heel to damage the parts and otherwise interfere with the eliiciency of operation of the device.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consistsin the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described, and the uses mentioned, as will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heel as seen from below, and prior to the mounting of the tap thereon; 20

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the heel tap, with the heel-engaging face uppermost, as ready for assembly on the heel shown in Fig. l;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken longitudinally through the assembled heel and tap structure; and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 3.

Referring more. particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, A indicates the main body portion of the heel of a shoe, this heel being of any suitable size, shape, material or construction, the lower or under face thereof being indicated at l and the forward face of the heel being indicated at 2, said heel being affixed to the shoe itself in any manner desired, as the manner 'of securing the heel to the shoe forms no part of the instant invention. 40

B represents the usual tap portion of the heel structure, to be applied to the heel to form the tread surface of the assembled heel structure, and may be of any suitable material such as rubber, leather, composition, etc., and preferably of a size and shape to correspond to and conform with the heel A, as is customary, the top face of the tap being indicated at 3, the lower or tread face at 4, and the forward edge at 5, the edge 5 being usually brought flush with the forward edge 2 of the heel A when the parts are assembled.

The usual manner of securement of the tap to the heel is by glue, nails or other fastening means, or by a combination of means, such securement being substantially a permanent one, and requiring the use of machinery and tools and highly skilled workmanship. When such a tap has become worn, equally difficult and expensive work must be resorted to to take off the worn tap and replace it with a new one.

To overcome the necessity of this cumbersome and expensive manner of tap replacement, I have provided a simple means for securing the tap to the heel, the same permitting of quick, simple, and inexpensive assembly and of equally ready removal and renewal when desired, all being accomplished without the use of special tools or machinery and requiring no skill whatsoever.

To this end, I have provided a pair of plate elements C` and D, one of which is permanently aiiixed to the heel and the other of which is similarly affixed to the tap, as will-now be described. These plates are preferably -made of relatively light or thin metal, although other materials may be found suitable for the purpose, the main requirements being that said material shall be sufficiently sturdy and enduring and inexpensive in initial cost and handling.

The width of the member C is greater than that of the cooperating member D, in the modication shown, said first-mentioned member being preferably somewhat narrower than the width of the face I of the heel so as to avoid any likelihood of its projecting laterally beyond the confines of the peripheral edge of the said face l, and permitting of the same width of member C to be used for a wide range of heel face sizes.

Nails, screw or other fastening means 6 are positioned through the element C, into the heel material to affix the element C iny place, said fasteners being located adjacent the side edges of the element C, and the intermediate portion of the element being spaced from the opposite heel surfaces to provide a space l between the opposed faces of the element C and the heel eX- tending, in the form shown, for the length of the element between the laterally spaced fasteners 6. Thisfintermediate portion of the element C may be pressed upwardly by dies or other means to more clearly dene the guideway space, clearance or pocket 1. In addition, a slot 8 may be provided to extend longitudinally of the element C, inwardly from the rear end and terminating adjacent the forward end of the element, for a purpose to be more clearly hereinafter described. The element is affixed tothe heel substantially in the manner and position shown, with the forward end or edge at substantially the forward face 2 of the heel.

'I'he other member, D, is affixed to the heel tap B, on the uppermost face of the latter, this element being also preferably made of a'material having substantially the same characteristics as the element C, the element D being much narrower than the element C, as in this instance it is intended to t between the lateral confines of the element C.

The width of the element D is substantially equal to that of the guideway space 'I previously mentioned, so that it will pass through the latter with a minimum of lateral clearance and so that relative lateral movement between the interengaged elements C and D is substantially prevented. The element D is secured to the tap by the fasteners 9, the most forward fastener 9 being at substantially the same distance inwardly of the edge5 of the tap that the closed end of the slot 8 is frornthe forward edge 2 of the heel, so

that when the element D is slid longitudinally through the guideway space 1 the fastener 9 will engage with and abut the said closed end of the slot 8 and limit further forward movement therebetween, and insuring that the forward edges of the heel and tap are in substantial alignment.

If it is desired to omit the forward fastener 9, the y slot 8 may be shortened, or even omitted altogether, dependent upon the positioning of said rear fastener, it being obvious that the slot will be shorter as the rear fastener is moved rearwardly. Y

The entire top surface of the tap may be depressed as at I 0 to provide a recess to receive the elementA D, and the longitudinally extending side edgesof said element may be spaced away from the opposed under surface of said face Il) so as to be substantially in the same plane as that ofthe peripheral edge of the element at 3, the main thing being that the element D enter between the element C and the heel when assembling the tap on the heel and permit of the relative longitudinal sliding movement to permit of such assembly, the elements C and D being of sufficiently thin material to bring the peripheral edges of the heel and tap substantially together that no gap or opening shall be noticeable therebetween, and hence there is no detraction from rthe appearances of the device, the elements being substantially concealed between the heel and tap when the parts are in place assembled.

In order to further insure against accidental loss of the tap or displacement, the length of the element D may be made such that when assembled as shown in Fig. 3, a portion of the element D will project inwardly beyond the edges 2 and 5 toprovide an extension or tab that may be easily bent either up or down against the faces 2 or 5 respectively. This tab will lie at against said parts and will be substantially inconspicuous, and if desired may be colored to conform to the colors of the parts of the shoe thereat. As the elements are of relatively thin metal or other suitable material, this bending may be done with any handy object such as a coin or the like, and when it is desired to remove the tap for replacement or interchange of the left and right taps to equalize wear on the taps, the straightening of said tabs to permit of removal of the taps by rearward sliding movement of the latter is also easily done.

Having thus described my invention, it is 0bvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction and combination of parts herein shown and described, nor the uses mentioned, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, and the claims hereuntov appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a shoe heel, of a tap therefor having a depression bounded by side edges, -a plate secured to said heel at laterally spaced apart points and co-nstructed with the portion intermediate said points of securement raised from said heel to space said intermediate portion for its entire length from the heel and providing a clearance therebetween open at its front and rear ends; and a second plate secured in said depression in said tap and having its side edges higher than its portion therebetween so they may be substantially flush with said tap side edges, said second plate being of such a size as to ll the space between said intermediate raised portion of the first plate and the heel, whereby the tap may be removably secured on said heel by inserting the second plate in said clearance and slidably actuating it longitudinally forwardly of the shoe.

2. In a detachable heel construction, a pair of plates, one of said plates being secured to said heel with fastening elements spaced laterally apart, said plate being provided with a clearance between said laterally spaced fastening elements and said heel; the second plate being secured to the tap in a depression therein and being insertable into said clearance between the rst plate and the heel, the side edges of the second plate being raised to be substantially ush with the side edges of said tap, said first mentioned plate having a longitudinal slot extending inwardly from its rear edge and terminating adjacent its forward edge whereby the tap may be removably secured on said heel by inserting said second plate in said clearance and sliding the tap longitudinally forwardly of the shoe, and the second plate having means therethrough fastening it to the tap, said means being positioned at a point spaced substantially the same distance from the front edge of the tap that the terminating end of the slot is from the front edge of the heel, whereby said fastening element will provide a stop for abutment against said terminating end of the slot for limiting the forward movement of said tap on the heel.

3. In a detachable shoe heel structure, a pair of plates, one of said plates being secured to the heel with laterally spaced apart fasteners and, said plate being provided with a clearance between its portion intermediate said fasteners and said heel, said intermediate portion being provided with a slot extending forwardly from the rear edge of said plate and terminating adjacent its forward edge; the second plate being of a size to fit in said clearance and being secured to said tap with its longitudinal side edges spaced from the opposed tap surface therealong and a fastener securing said second plate to said tap at a point spaced substantially the same distance from the front edge of the latter that the closed end of said slot is from the front edge of said heel, whereby the tap may be removably secured on said heel by inserting said secured second plate in said clearance between said heel and the rst plate and sliding the tap with said second plate thereon longitudinally forwardly of the shoe, the last-mentioned fastener providing a stop abutment against the closed end of the slot to limit the forward movement of said tap on said heel, and the forward end of the second plate projecting beyond the tap so as to be bendable after said tap has been assembled on said heel to lock said parts in position against accidental displacement.

4. In a shoe construction, a heel, a tap for detachable mounting thereon and having the surface for opposing said heel provided with a depression intermediate its bounding side edges, a plate secured to said heel at its lateral sides but being unsecured thereto at its portion intermediate said sides, said intermediate portion of the plate being spaced from said opposed heel surface to provide a clearance open at its ends; a second plate secured to said tap within said depression and being of a lesser width than said rst plate and having its side edges raised to be substantially ush with said side edges of said tap, said rst plate having a longitudinal slot extending inwardly from its rear edge and terminating adjacent its forward edge whereby the tap may be removably secured on said heel by inserting said second plate in said clearance between the first plate and heel and sliding the tap longitudinally forwardly of the shoe; and means between said second mentioned plate and tap at a point spaced substantially the same distance from the front edge of the tap that the terminating end of said slot is from the front edge of the heel to provide a stop for abutment against said terminating end of the slot for limiting the forward movement of said tap on said heel.

MAX MAUSER. 

